The Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) is Australia's national transport safety investigator. The ATSB's function is to improve safety and public confidence in the aviation, marine and rail modes of transport. The ATSB is Australia's prime agency for the independent investigation of civil aviation, rail and maritime accidents, incidents and safety deficiencies.

Marine safety investigations & reports

Collision between fv Exterminator and Unisina

Early on 25 April 1997, the Australian steel hulled, long-line
fishing vessel Exterminator was repositioning to the south, before
shooting its line, about 19 miles east by south of Green Point, New
South Wales. The Skipper was on watch in the wheelhouse and had
noticed, on the radar, a vessel coming up from astern, shaping to
pass clear on the port side.

Suddenly, at about 0040, there was a loud bang and a jolt and
the Skipper was thrown to the deck on the port side of the
wheelhouse as Exterminator rolled heavily to port. Pulling himself
back to a standing position, the Skipper saw the hull of a large
vessel, in a light condition, passing up the fishing vessel's
starboard side. As Exterminator rocked as a result of the initial
collision, it came into contact twice more with the hull of the
other vessel.

The Skipper put out a number of calls on VHF16, but received no
response. He reported the collision to AMSA, then, after contacting
the owner, returned to Eden to assess the damage.

The 110,461 tonnes deadweight Liberian tanker Unisina had
sailed, in ballast, from Gore Bay, Sydney, on the morning of 24
April 1997, bound for the FPSO Cossack Pioneer, located on the
Northwest Shelf.

At midnight on 24 April, the vessel was in a position 20.5 miles
east of Green Cape, making good a speed of 11.6 knots on a course
of 196. Shortly after 0030, the officer of the watch started
altering course slowly to starboard for a vessel, which he
considered to be northbound and crossing from starboard to port.
After about five minutes and with the ship heading about 235, the
officer applied hard to starboard rudder, then port rudder, in an
apparent attempt to avoid a collision.

Scientific comparison by the Australian Federal Police
Scientific Branch matched paint taken from the hull of Unisina with
paint deposited on Exterminator, indicating that Unisina was the
vessel that collided with the fishing vessel.

Conclusions

These conclusions identify the different factors contributing to
the incident and should not be read as apportioning blame or
liability to any particular organisation or individual.

Unisina collided with Exterminator after the Watch Officer
mistook the lights of Exterminator to be those of a more distant,
crossing vessel and altered course towards the fishing vessel. The
following factors are considered to have contributed to the
incident:

A proper lookout was not maintained on the bridge of Unisina
between midnight and 0030.

A proper appraisal of the situation was not carried out by the
Watch Officer, by using either visual bearings or radar, before he
altered course to starboard.

Reduced alertness on the part of the Watch Officer, brought
about by a sleep debt and 'jet lag'.

The absence of any guidelines to owners and operators by the
Flag Administation, or instructions to masters by the vessel's
operator, on rest period requirements to overcome the effects of
long distance travel prior to joining a vessel.